Sheet handling apparatus



y 11, 1955 D. w. HANEY ETAL SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 //VVENTOR$ DONALD W. HANEY 'JOHN E. HAWXHURST BY ATTORNEY May 11, 1965 11w. HANEY ETAL v SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1962 May 11, 1965 D. w. HANEY ETAL SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 27, 1962 United States Patent 3,1823% SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Donald W. Haney, Vestal, and John E. Hawxhurst, Eudwell, N.Y., assignors to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 182,804 10 Claims. (Cl. 271-47) This invention relates to sheet handling apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus selectively conditionable to advance or stop a single continuous sheet or a series of separate sheets of random varying sizes and thicknesses.

Various types of clutching arrangements have heretofore been proposed to control intermittent movement of sheets. F or example, it is known to provide a continuously driven roll and an idler roll which cooperate to drive the sheet when the idler roll is biased into pinching contact with the driven roll. With such an arrangement, when the idler roll is retracted, the gap or bite between the rolls is widenedto a degree where the driven roll is ineffective to advance the sheet. Since such rolls contact a relatively small area of the sheet, they must impart very high local inertia forces to the sheet. This may result in scuffing or tearing, especially of thin and flimsy sheets. Moreover, as attempts are made to provide intermittent feeding of sheets in apparatus designed to operate at the everincreasing sheet feed rates and throughputs being sought in data processing machines, this problem of inertia forces and loads becomes so critical that roll-type clutching arrangements prove unsatisfactory. Furthermore, these rolltype arrangements are not practical for handling short sheetsbecause thedistance between rolls must be less than the length of the short sheet in order to maintain positive control over sheet movement; and if the rolls are spaced spondingly more expensive because of the relatively high cost of such rolls.

One object of this invention. is therefore to provide a sheet handling apparatus which is relatively inexpensive and yet is capable of handling sheets of random varying sizesand thicknesses, including very small and short sheets.

Another object is to provide a relatively inexpensive apparatus selectably operable to drive sheets positively or positively brake sheets against movement, so that such sheets may be fed intermittently and yet always under positive control.

- Another object is to provide a sheet handling apparatus which is capable of stopping a sheet while it is traveling at high speed and is capable of restarting a sheet with a minimum of inertia corresponding substantially only to that of the sheet itself.

Still another object is to provide a sheet handling apparatus wherein the sheet may be advanced selectively at any one'of a plurality of speeds.

According to these objects, the sheet handling apparatus herein illustrated and embodying the invention comprises a pair of transversely spaced convexly curved longitudinally extending brake shoes preferably protruding from a convexly curved stationary guide plate. A plurality of bolts, preferably having guided contact with said plate, normally move at different speeds in closed paths. These paths preferably lie between the transversely spaced brake shoes. A separate flexible driving control band'is superposed over each belt; and a flexible brake band is superposed over each brake shoe. This defines a longitudinally extending sheet receiving guideway under the bands and generally following the convex contour of the plate.

Means are provided to tighten the brake bands and loosen the driving bands to prevent movement of sheets through the guideway. This means is also operable to 3,182,993 Patented May 11-, 1965 Ice tighten a particular selectable one of the driving bands and concurrently loosen the brake bands to cause sheets to be advanced through the guideway at substantially the peripheral speed of the belt contacted by the tightened band.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a sheet handling apparatus embodying the invention;

F IG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along the line -33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view, partly broken away, taken from the right end of FIG. :2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the band control portion of the apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit which may be used in the apparatus.

Description As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the sheet handling apparatus embodying the invention comprises a guide plate 10 providing a convexly curved surface 11].. A plurality of driving belts, such as 12,-13, ride over the surface 11. The surface 11 and also the inner surfaces of belts 12, 13 are formed of materials having a low coeflicient of friction to minimize wear. A pair of laterally spaced braking strips or brake shoes 14, 15 straddle the driving belts 12, 13 and are secured to the plate surface .11 such as by cement. These brake shoes and the outer surfaces of the driving beltsare formed of materials having a higher coefiicient of friction suflicient to frictionally grip all sheets to be handled, irrespective of random variations in their frictional characteristics.

Bands 16, 1'7, 18, 19 are superposed over the outer surfaces of the belts d2, 13 and the brake shoe 14, 15, respectively, to define a plurality of longitudinally extending, convexly curved, laterally spaced guide channels therebetween. These channels, in combination, provide a guideway 20 that is under the bands and adapted to receive sheets S, such as'banlgchecks, tabulating cards, letters or the like. These bands preferably are formed of polished steel having avery low coefiicient of friction.

Each drivingv belt 12 and 1'3 passes around a respective set ofidentical idler rolls 21, 22 disposed beyond the opposite ends of plate 10. Rolls '21 are laterally spaced androt'atably mounted on a common stud 23, whereas rolls 22 are similarly spaced and mounted on a common stud 24. A- driven roll 25 drives belt 12 at a preselected lineal speed which is slower than the lineal speed at which a driven roll 26 drives belt .13. As illustrated, this is accomplished by driving the rolls 2'5, .26 from the same shaft 27, and simply making the diameter of the slower speed roll' 25 the appropriate degree less than that of roll 26.

A separate tensioning mechanism 28 is provided for keeping each driving belt 12, 13 tensioned. Each such mechanism may comprise a lever 29 which is fulcrumed on a common stud 3t and carries a roll 31 at one end. A separate spring 32 acts on each lever to bias the roll 31 against the respective belt 12 or 13 to maintain a preselected tensioning force thereon. a

The bands 16 to 19 have their respective one ends suitably secured, such as by screws 33a, to a common anchor member 33; and their opposite ends are secured, as by screws 34a, to a common anchor member 34. These members 33 and 34, in turn, are suitably secured to and supported by a fixed back plate 35. The studs 23, 24, are also secured to back plate 35; andshaft 27 passes rearwardly through the back plate and is driven by suitable means (not shown). Spacers and/ or bearings, such 3 as 36, 37, 38, 39, are employed to provide a requisite spacing of the components from the back plate 35.

For controlling positioning of the respective bands 16, 17, 18, 19, there are provided separate electro-rnagnets 40, 41, 42, 43. As best shown in FIG. 5, four bell cranks 44, 45, 46, 47 are rockably mounted on a common stud 48. This stud passes through aligned bores through transversely spaced lugs, like 34b, projecting from anchor member 34. Laterally secured to the respective upper arms of each of these bell cranks 44, 45, 46, 47 are armatures 44a, 45a, 46a, 47:: that are attractable to the cores of the respective magnets 41 41, 42, 43.

Whenever any bell crank 44 to 47 is rocked counterclockwise about stud 48, its lower arm will press down on the corresponding band 16 to 19. This will correspondingly tighten that band and hence reduce the clearance between that band and the associated belt 12, 13 or brake shoe 14, 15. As best shown in FIG. 5, the bell cranks 44, 45 are associated with the driving magnets 40, 41, respectively, and are biased clockwise about stud 48 by helical springs 44b, 4511, respectively. Thus, when magnet 40, 41 are deenergized, the bell cranks 44, 45 will exert no tightening force on the bands 16, 17. On the other hand, the bell cranks 46, 47 (which are associated with the brake magnets 42, 43, respectively) are biased counterclockwise about stud 48 by helical springs 46b, 47b, respectively. Thus, when magnets 42, 43 are de-energized, the bell cranks 46, 47 will apply a tightening force to the brake bands 18, 19, respectively. The bands will thus press all sheets then in the guideway 20 against the high friction brake shoes 14, 15 with sufiicient force to clamp the sheets and stop their movement. This desirably provides a fail safe feature, whereby sheet movement will be prevented in event of failure of power supply to the magnets.

Power to the magnets may be supplied via any suitable circuitry, including electronically controlled circuitry. As shown 'in FIG. 6, for purposes of simplified illustration, this circuitry may comprise a manually operable switch 52. With switch 52 in a high-speed feed or drive position H, a circuit will be completed from a source of power, such as a battery 53, through the high speed driving magnet 41 and the brake magnets 42, 43 in series and a suitble resistor 54 back to the source. With switch 52 in a low speed or drive position L, the circuit will be completed from the battery 53 through the magnets 40, 42, 43 in series, and back to the battery, in bypass of the magnet 41. Thus, magnets 40, 41 will be energized selectively; and Whenever either is energized, both brake magnets 42, 43 will be energized. However, when switch 52 is moved to a braking position B, the circuits will be opened to cause de-energization of all magnets 40 to 43.

Operation Assume initially that the switch 52 is in braking position B (FIG. 6), in which all magnets 40 to 43 are deenergized; and that rolls 25, 26 are being driven by shaft 27.

Under these conditions, the various components will be in the respective positions in which they are shown in the drawings. The driving belts 12, 13 will be moving at preselected low and high speeds, respectively; but the associated flexible driving bands 16, 17 will lie loosely over the belts because the bell cranks 44, 45 will be rocked to their ineffective positions by springs 44b, 45b. Hence, no sheet driving frictional force will be applied by the belts 12, 13 to any sheets S which may then be in the guideway 20. However, the brake bands 18, 19 will be forced against the corresponding brake shoes 14, 15 by the bell crank 46, 47 due to the bias forces exerted by the springs 46b, 47b, respectively. Thus, any sheets S in the guideway 20 will be firmly pinched between the brake bands and brake shoes and positively be prevented from moving. Thus, under the assumed condition, no sheets will be fed through the guideway 29.

To feed sheets through the guideway 20 at a low speed, switch 52 is moved to position L, in which magnets 40, 42, 43 are concurrently energized and magnet 41 is deenergized. With magnets 42, 43 energized, the armatures 46a, 47a will be attracted and cause the lower arms of the bell cranks 46, 47 to be rocked out of etfective impinging contact with the brake bands 18, 19. This will relieve the braking force heretofore applied to the sheets. Meanwhile, with magnet 40 energized, armature 44a will be attracted for forcing the lower arm of bell crank 44 down against the corresponding drive band 16. When the band 16 is thus tightened against belt 12, all sheets S will be driven through the guideway 20 at a speed corresponding to the relatively low preselected peripheral speed of said belt.

To feed sheets S at a higher speed, switch 52 is moved to position H, in which the magnets 41, 42, 43 are con currently energized and magnet 40 is de-energized. The brake bands 18, 19 will be loosened, as during low-speed operation. However, band 17 (instead of band 16) will be forced down against the corresponding driving belt 13 due to attraction of bell crank 45 by the energized magnet 41. Hence, sheets S will now be driven through the guideway 20 at a speed corresponding to the relatively high preselected peripheral speed of belt 13.

It is to be noted that, when tightened, the driving band 16 or 17 exerts a force on the sheets S sufficient to maintain them in contact with the corresponding driving belt 12 or 13. However, the pressure exerted on the sheets by these driving bands is not great enough to bind the sheets. Thus, when the brake bands 18, 19 and either driving band 16 or 17 are relaxed, the low friction surface of the bands permits sheets to move freely through the guideway 29 under the control of any driving band 16 or 17 which may then be tightened.

If preferred, a single brake magnet may be used in lieu of the separate brake magnets 42, 43. In such event, a suitable cross piece would be necessary to couple the two bell cranks 46, 47 together. On the other hand, it will be apparent that a single brake magnet, single brake shoe and single brake band may be used. Similarly, the number of driving belts may be increased, and groups of two or more such belts could be driven at the same speed. Moreover, instead of training the driving belts 12, 13 over the curved guide plate 10, those belts could be guided over idler rolls, or over idler rolls which extend up through cut-outs in the plate 10.

It should also be noted that the bands 16 to 19 need not be anchored at both ends to stationary members like 33, 34. The bands could be anchored at their respective one ends to a stationary member, like 34, and at their respective other ends be secured to an oscillatable member. In such case, the brake bands 18, 19 would be connected to one part of the periphery of the oscillatable member, and a single driving band, such as 17, would be connected to another, preferably opposite part of the periphery of said member. Thus, when the oscillatable member is oscillated a slight degree one way, all brake bands will be tightened and the driving band will automatically and concurrently be loosened; and when such member is oscillated the other way, the brake bands will be loosened and the driving band will be concurrently tightened. With such an arrangement, multiple driving bands should be used only if they are driven at the same peripheral speeds.

Finally, it is to be noted that the apparatus embodying the invention may be used to control movement of a continuous sheet or web (such as tape or transversely perforated continuous paper forms, etc.), as well as of a series of separate or individual forms of random varying sizes and thicknesses. Accordingly, the term sheet as used in the claims is intended generically to cover both separate sheets and a continuous sheet or web.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art 3,1829% 6 that the foregoing and other changes in form and details a belt and a band cooperating to provide at least part may be made therein without departing from the spirit and of one of said guideways, and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Sheet handling apparatus comprising a belt and a band providing a longitudinally extending guideway through which at least one sheet is advanceable,

one means having two discrete positions, one for tightening the hand against the belt and the other for 10 to be advanced through the guideways when the band loosening h b f h b l is tightened against said belt provided said brake means for moving the belt to cause each sheet to be band means is not tightened.

advanced thereby while said band is tightened, and 6. Sheet handling apparatus comprising control means responsive to a first and a second of two e d ess sheet-driving means movable in a predetermined discrete control conditions to actuate said one means closed path, to its said one position and other position, respectivea m mber Cooperating with a portion of the periphery 1y, whereby the belt will be rendered substantially 0f d endless means to define therebetween one ineffective to drive such sheet while the one means g n ly x ending sheet-receiving guideway, 1 i it id th i i brake band means and brake shoe means for defining 2. Sheet handling apparatus comprising 2 therebetween another longitudinally extending sheeta plurality of endless elements arranged side by side receiving guideway laterally adjacent Said one guideand having portions which are constrained to move y, and i b t ti ll i il l ll dj h means for controlling movement of said member and a b d-lik member ll lcogely superposed on brake band means relative to said endless means each such portion to define alongitudinally extending and means, respectively, and Operable under h ti i guideway b t id portions d one condition to loosen said brake band means and 7 members concurrently tighten said member against said endless means for driving each endless element at a different means to Cause a Sheet to he moved at the Peripheral peripheral speed, and speed of said endless means, and operable under means for selectively tightening the members against 39 another Condition t0 1008611 a d mem er from said said elements to cause a sheet to be advanced through the guideway at substantially the peripheral speed of that particular endless element against which the associated member is tightened.

stationary brake shoe means and movable brake band means cooperating to provide at least part of another of the guideways;

means for tightening the band against the belt;

means for tightening the brake band means against said stationary means to arrest sheet movement; and

means for moving the belt to cause each such sheet endless means and concurrently tighten said brake band means against said shoe means positively to arrest movement of the sheet through said guideways. 7. Sheet handling apparatus comprising 3. Sheet handling apparatus comprising a P y of hens arranged Side y Side,

endless means constrained to move in a non-circular a corresponding plurality of hands each having a Portion paw, superposed on a respective belt to define a guideway a member extending along an elongated portion of the therehelweenfi th dj h periphery f i endless means to means for selectively controlling the clearance between define between said endless means and member a 49 the respective hands and their Corresponding belts,

longitudinally extending sheet-receiving guideway, and

means operable selectively to one or the other of two preselected positions to tighten said member against said endless means to cause driving of a sheet or loosen said member therefrom to render said endless means substantially ineffective to drive a sheet,

whereby when the last-named means is tightened, a sheet will be pinched along a substantial portion of its and means for driving at least some of the belts at difierent speeds to cause a sheet to be driven through the guideway at the peripheral speed of that particular belt having a minimum clearance with its corresponding band. i

8. Sheet handling apparatus comprising means providing two generally laterally spaced longitudinally extending guideways through which sheets length between said member and endless means and 50 are advanceahle, and including cause the sheet to be advanced through said guidea belt and a h p g o prov de at least part way at a speed corresponding substantially to the one of Sald guldewaysi and peripheral speed of Said endless means stationary means and brake band means cooperating 4. Sheet handling apparatus comprising to Provlde at least P of the other gh y; means defining a guideway for guiding at least one sheet control means Operable under one condition to cause along a predetermined longitudinally extending path, said means including a longitudinally extending member and a flexible striplike member having superposed portions to provide tightening of the hand against the belt and concurrent loosening of the brake band means, and operable under another condition to cause loosening of the band from the belt and concurrent tightening of the Said guideway therebetween, GO brake band means against said stationary means; and means for anchoring one end of said flexible member, means for movmg the e to Cause Sheet to be adcontrol means to selectively tighten said flexible member Vancedflirqltlgh gmdewisfs provlded Sald control against said longitudinally extending member or 9 522: 3215 2 z iz ig ggg i' loosen it therefrom to correspondingly vary the clearair of lateral? s ed 1 ance between said members along substantially the P y p c ongl u ma y extendmg Stationary brake shoes,

at lgast one driving belt disposed laterally between said s oes,

a respective band superposed over adjacent convex portions of each shoe and belt to define a guideway therebetween,

means anchoring the respective one ends of each band,

means for normally holding certain of the bands against the brake shoes to arrest movement of a sheet through the guideway,

One means operable to release the certain bands from the brake shoes to permit sheet movement, and

another means operable to tighten another of the bands against the belt to cause the sheet to be driven at the peripheral speed of the belt, whereby sheet movement will be prevented if said one and other means fail to operate. 1

10. The combination according to claim 9,

wherein the means normally holding the certain bands against the brake shoes are resilient means, and

wherein said one means and other means are electromagnetically controlled, the said one means being ener gizable to release said certain bands, and said other means being energizable to tighten said other band, and

including means for effecting concurrent energization of said one and other means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Eylar 271-35 X Lynch 271-34 Walkup 226-39 X Ackley 271-49 Gay 198-160 Brichard 198-160 X Gillis 271-57 X Parsons et al. 234-58 Examiners. 

1. SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRIISING A BELT AND A BAND PROVIDING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GUIDEWAY THROUGH WHICH AT LEAST ONE SHEET IS ADVANCEABLE, ONE MEANS HAVING TWO DISCRETE POSITIONS, ONE FOR TIGHTENING THE BAND AGAINST THE BELT AND THE OTHER FOR LOOSENING THE BAND FROM THE BELT, MEANS FOR MOVING THE BELT TO CAUSE EACH SHEET TO BE ADVANCED THEREBY WHILE SAID BAND IS TIGHTENED, AND CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A FIRST AND A SECOND OF TWO DISCRETE CONTROL CONDITIONS TO ACTUATE SAID ONE MEANS TO ITS SAID ONE POSITION AND OTHER POSITION, RESPECTIVELY, WHEREBY THE BELT WILL BE RENDERED SUBSTANTIALLY INEFFECTIVE TO DRIVE SUCH SHEET WHILE THE ONE MEANS IS IN ITS SAID OTHER POSITION. 